SBS2011 backup fails - name no longer available

[aliencore]

Hi everyone

We own a QNAP TS-439 Pro II+ device connected to an SBS2011 box. We're trying to use the NAS device as the main backup device for the server (main problem described below). This NAS will be replicated over the internet to another exact same device used at another location (not tested yet).

The main problem we have is that SBS2011 fails when trying to backup to the NAS

Here is how we've configured it:

In the NAS web interface we've created a shared folder called sbsbackup and assigned full permissions to the domain user domainname\XXXXX
Because we can't use the SBS console to backup to a shared network location, we had to use the windows server backup utility to configure it. We've selected the following: System Reserved, C drive, D drive, System State and Bare metal recovery. All going to the shared network location \\NASName\sbsbackup. When asked for credentials we used the above mentioned domainname\XXXXX and the wizard finished with no errors.

When asked to backup using the settings above we are getting the following error: Unknown Error (0x8078015b) Detailed Error: The specified network name is no longer available.
The network resource is still visible on the network and I can access it via windows explorer. Also while browsing that location I can see that the process did manage to create a couple of files which suggests that the location was accessible.

Networking details: NAS box connected to 10/100/1000 switch box. Server connected to switch box. Modem/Router connected to switch box. SBS2011 as DNS and DHCP.

Additional things we've tried:

Configured the backup to use the ip address instead of name \\xxx.xxx.x.x\sbsbackup. Result changes to Error: Backup failed to complete
Restarted the NAS box numerous times
Tried to update firmware with no success. Downloaded file manually but gets rejected during update as for the wrong model, although we've selected the right one. Used automatic update and apparently succeeded giving result Firmware is up to date. Current firmware version: 3.4.2 Build 0331T which leads me to believe it did not succeed, I think there is a newer version out there (3.5.1 or something like that)

Please let me know if there is anything else you need from us.

Thanks
Ovi

[onlyalex]

Hi mate

From what i know the bultin backup engine is design to work with "block device". This meaning backing up over samba will not work or give you errors.

This is also comfirmed by MS here. http://groups.google.com/group/microsof ... mote+share

Charlie Russel - MVP View profile
More options May 25 2009, 4:36 pm

Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs
From: "Charlie Russel - MVP" <char...@mvKILLALLSPAMMERSps.org>
Date: Mon, 25 May 2009 07:36:27 -0700
Local: Mon, May 25 2009 4:36 pm
Subject: Re: Backup to network share SBS 2008
Reply to author | Forward | Print | Individual message | Show original | Report this message | Find messages by this author
SBS 2008 is not designed to backup to a network share. The backup engine is
designed to backup to a "block device" that it can completely control. The
solution to doing a network backup in SBS 2008 is to use iSCSI. You can use
software such as StarWind on the network server to allow it to behave as an
iSCSI SAN, and this will allow you to use the native iSCSI initiator in
Windows Server 2008 to mount the remote storage as a volume on your SBS 2008

My suggestion to you. If you are going to use the bultin backup client the use iscsi. This way windows backup engine will have full controll of the iscsi target. Other suggestion would be to get another backup software like backupexec that will also give you alot of other niffty options. Downside is it will cost you some $$$..

Cheers.

[aliencore]

Thanks for your reply

That makes sense... I wonder why SBS still has the clear "backup to a shared network location" option if it can't support it properly.

Anyway we'll probably use some type of backup software.

Cheers

[-bk-]

Use a newer Firmware. We also experienced SMB problems with AD in 3.4.2. Since updated to 3.5.0, there is no problem. We have about 10 installations with a SBS and QNAP as network backup target. Works perfectly!